Reports From The Road Less Covered: Atascadero

Voters from across the state are telling us what they think about the major gubernatorial candidates in this "off the campaign trail" election series. Today we hear from the pastor of a church in Atascadero, along California's central coast.

This past week, I was lost, and ended up at the Atascadero Bible
Church parking lot with no cell phone reception---meaning I
couldn't Mapquest my way back to highway 101. And so I got out of
my car to ask for directions, and ended up meeting a tall man, with
glasses, a wide smile and a slight gap between his teeth.

ABLES: My name is Jay Ables and I'm a pastor.

During my brief time with Jay, I watched him pastor, parent,
counsel, groundskeep and put away folding tables. And even though
it was two o clock in the afternoon, Jay still had a full day of
work ahead of him.

ABLES: Matter of fact, we have a young couple that are somewhat
new to our house today that are somewhat new to the church, and we
want to get to know them and allow them to get to know us. You
know, if that family that is at my house today, feels a little bit
more connected to the church, and a little bit more closer in their
walk with God because they are connected to the church, then we've
accomplished something because we shared the love of God with
them.

Pastors report working between 55 and 75 hours a week, often
ministering at nights and on their days off. The irony is Jay says
he quit his other job as a federal employee because he worked too
much and wanted to spend more time with his family. He says he's
working a lot more these days because so many in his community are
jobless and need spiritual or financial help from his church. He
says he knows what he wants to hear from Jerry Brown and Meg
Whitman in their campaigns for governor.

ABLES: First and foremost what are they going to do to get the
economy turned around. What are they going to do to balance the
budget? What are they going to do to reduce the deficits? What are
they going to do to bring jobs to California?

Jay, like many other evangelicals around the state, is also
upset about the Proposition 8 court ruling, and whether the law
banning same sex marriage will be overturned. He says he's actually
open to both candidates on that issue.

ABLES: I don't expect Jerry Brown to stand up and say he's for
Prop 8 and that's he going to do something differently or to
suddenly become Pro-Life. I don't expect that. But where is the
place of that in the government arena? I guess that would be the
question, and Meg Whitman's the same way.

And with that, Jay had to cut our conversation short to play the
part of Church Office Secretary.

Jay Ables is a pastor at Atascadero Bible Church. His two top
issues in the Governor's race are the economy, and prop 8. And by
the way, Jay talked to me as long as I promised to make it clear
those are his personal opinions, and not those of his churches. So
there you go Jay, promise kept.